ESPN Top 100

[Pat Kelly]

Like this one!   Gunnar number 1.  9 in top 100 and  Cowser at 30, Cade Povich at 54.  Mayo top 50. DL just missed.  Arguably the most praiseworthy analysis of the Os prospect group yet.

Edited February 1, 2023 by Pat Kelly

[sportsfan8703]

Interesting. Povich hadn’t made a top 100 list before. So I believe that is 11 different players that made one of the various top 100 lists out there. 
 

Pretty impressive. 

[Just Regular]

The end of the Gunnar comment...

Baltimore could be a scary team at the major league level sooner than you might think.

I infer the Povich ranking by McDaniel places him as much as Means as a midseason reinforcement possibility in one guesser's estimation.

[ThisIsBirdland]

Wow, he's definitely on an island with Povich relative to the rest of the publications. I remember he got knocked around at Bowie pretty good but looking at his A+ numbers and improvement in his stuff last year, definitely someone to keep an eye on.  Can someone post the ESPN write-up on him?

[Moose Milligan]

Povich at 54 is strong.  I like him, I'm not sure if I like him that much but regardless this is good to see.

Twins trade was totally worth it.

[RZNJ]

19 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Wow, he's definitely on an island with Povich relative to the rest of the publications. I remember he got knocked around at Bowie pretty good but looking at his A+ numbers and improvement in his stuff last year, definitely someone to keep an eye on.  Can someone post the ESPN write-up on him?

54. Cade Povich, LHP, Baltimore Orioles

Age: 22 | Bats: Left | Throws: Left

Type: Lefty with above-average stuff and above-average command.

Povich was an intriguing 6-3 college projection out of Nebraska in the 2021 draft when went to the Twins late in the third round. His velo jumped from 88-92 mph to 92-94 mph almost immediately after he signed and that's where it stood for all of 2022. His slider and curveball also improved to flashing plus with the added arm speed, and he has maintained his starter command and solid changeup.

He was dealt to Baltimore last summer as the headliner in a package for closer Jorge Lopez. Like many pitchers in this range, his stuff and/or performance jumped in 2022 and at least some of this group will give back some of those gains because pitchers are susceptible to injuries and mysterious loss of arm speed or command.

Povich is still likely to give effective bulk innings, likely as a starter, maybe as soon as the second half of 2023.

Edited February 1, 2023 by RZNJ

[Frobby]

1. Henderson

12. Rodruguez

17. Holliday

30. Cowser

47. Mayo

54. Povich

66. Westburg

71. Ortiz

92. Norby

Not only is it 9 guys, but look how high they’re ranked.  4 in the top 30, 5 in the top 50, 8 in the top 71.   Those are crazy numbers. 

I thought the Grayson comp was interesting: “Kevin Gausman, but with a better breaking ball.”

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by Frobby

[Just Regular]

The end of the story had a "Rest of 50 FV" tier that named another ~30 guys without any Orioles in it, so those who missed the 100 McDaniel didn't see as necessarily close, and maybe more 150-ish.

The Povich write-up - when I hear a story of an NCAA command profile who grows his stuff and makes it big, for me that is a "Bieber" in today's constellation of the world's best pitchers.     

The ways Cole or Verlander are great is just boring (hoping Grayson is very boring), the ways Strider or Glasnow or Bautista are great is a little bit of an affront to my Ray Miller honed sense of what "pitching" ought to be, but whatever gets Outs efficiently.

[Frobby]

It’s amazing how little variation there’s been in Westburg’s rankings.  In the five rankings I’ve seen, the highest I’ve seen him is 66, the lowest is 76.   

[nvpacchi]

So that gives Orioles (by my quick count), 6 six guys that appear on 2/3 lists needed to be on a top 100 list to get Baltimore another draft pick next year if they finish in the places for ROY.              Well, 7 with Holliday but no way he fits in MLB discussion next year

Henderson, Rodriguez, Cowser, Westburg, Norby, Ortiz

Does Baltimore maximize their chances of getting a ROY winner by getting as many guys on the OD roster as possible to spread out the risk?  Or is it too much nickel and diming to even work into the calculus?  But seeing that the Mariners netted basically a top 30 pick with Julio for this year is very enticing.

Edited February 1, 2023 by nvpacchi

[now]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

It’s amazing how little variation there’s been in Westburg’s rankings.  In the five rankings I’ve seen, the highest I’ve seen him is 66, the lowest is 76.   

That floor-to-ceiling clearance is a bit tight for a guy 6'-3"

[Orioles0615]

14 minutes ago, Frobby said:

1. Henderson

12. Rodruguez

17. Holliday

30. Cowser

47. Mayo

54. Povich

66. Westburg

71. Ortiz

92. Norby

Not only is it 9 guys, but look how high they’re ranked.  4 in the top 30, 5 in the top 50, 8 in the top 71.   Those are crazy numbers. 

I thought the Grayson comp was interesting: “Kevin Gausman, but with a better breaking ball.”

 

I don't know if I should be angry or happy about this. I wonder when we had Gasuman if anyone ever thought one day one of the best pitching prospects in baseball would be his comp.  

[ThisIsBirdland]

7 minutes ago, nvpacchi said:

So that gives Orioles (by my quick count), 6 six guys that appear on 2/3 lists needed to be on a top 100 list to get Baltimore another draft pick next year if they finish in the places for ROY.              Well, 7 with Holliday but no way he fits in MLB discussion next year

Henderson, Rodriguez, Cowser, Westburg, Norby, Ortiz

Does Baltimore maximize their chances of getting a ROY winner by getting as many guys on the OD roster as possible to spread out the risk?  Or is it too much nickel and diming to even work into the calculus?  But seeing that the Mariners netted basically a top 30 pick with Julio for this year is very enticing.

I think Henderson and Rodriguez are the only ones to realistically expect that level of rookie performance from, and the only one's I would put on the roster out of Spring Training for that reason. Not saying the other four guys shouldn't earn a spot on the roster out of Spring Training if they show they're ready to contribute and will get playing time, but I wouldn't do it just to maximize their odds of finishing top-2 in ROY voting. I feel like that incentive was added moreso to get the clear top guys in a system like Adley/Gunnar on opening day rosters. 

[btdart20]

7 minutes ago, nvpacchi said:

So that gives Orioles (by my quick count), 6 six guys that appear on 2/3 lists needed to be on a top 100 list to get Baltimore another draft pick next year if they finish in the places for ROY.              Well, 7 with Holliday but no way he fits in MLB discussion next year

Henderson, Rodriguez, Cowser, Westburg, Norby, Ortiz

Does Baltimore maximize their chances of getting a ROY winner by getting as many guys on the OD roster as possible to spread out the risk?  Or is it too much nickel and diming to even work into the calculus?  But seeing that the Mariners netted basically a top 30 pick with Julio for this year is very enticing.

Gunnar/Grayson are all but guaranteed on the OD roster.  Cowser/Westburg are probably fast-followers after the service clock gets reset for the additional year (but I'd say they should be on the OD roster to cram the ROY ballot box).  Norby/Ortiz are probably based on injury/performance needs, trades, and/or roster expansion.  And there's a chance they aren't in the ML in 2023 either.

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, Orioles0615 said:

I don't know if I should be angry or happy about this. I wonder when we had Gasuman if anyone ever thought one day one of the best pitching prospects in baseball would be his comp.  

I’m just hoping Rodriguez doesn’t take 5+ years to figure things out.  The part about Rodriguez having a better breaking ball is extremely important.  And, he’ll have better coaching than Gausman had when he was an Oriole.